What Tigress Meant
by edger230
Summary: Tigress says what I believe she was going to say to Po on the boat. Not only that but feelings come clear.


It was a night to remember in Gongmen City. Shen had finally been defeated and there was a huge party going on in the town square that included lively dancing. Master Shifu had allowed Po and the five to stay for the party since it was technically a celebration for them. Po was currently sitting at a table with the five, all of them eating noodles that they had ordered at a restaurant similar to Mr. Ping's that was right next to the town square.

At first no one said anything, until Mantis finally spoke up. "These noodles are good, but I can't say that these are better than Po's." he said. Po smiled but he didn't look up from his noodles. Something was eating at him but he didn't want to mention it. He was hoping everyone would just assume he was too hungry to speak up. However, Tigress knew better.

"Po, what's wrong?" she asked.

Po looked up. "Nothing. I'm just thinking." he replied. "_I'm not entirely lying." _he thought.

Tigress still knew better but before she could speak up, one of Po's favorite songs started playing in the town square. Po smiled and stood up.

"Guys, I love this song!" he said. Every one of the five except Tigress smiled and made their way to the town square. Po didn't want to leave Tigress behind so he walked up to her and said, "Tigress, are you coming?"

"No. I'll stay here. You go have fun." she replied.

"I'm not going without you." Po said and sat down.

"Then I guess you're not going." Tigress replied.

"I guess I'm not."

"Please go."

"Not without you."

"You said you love this song."

Finally Po sighed and said, "I need to talk to you anyway."

Tigress had been looking down at her lap the whole time so she finally looked up when Po said that with a look on her face that meant, _I'm listening._

It was Po's turn to look at his lap. "Do you remember that night on the boat right before we arrived here?"

Tigress nodded. "When you told me your dad wasn't really your dad?" she asked.

Po nodded back not looking up from his lap. Suddenly, he felt Tigress grab his paw. "Po, it's just you and me. You don't have to be nervous." Tigress said.

"_Do I really look that nervous?" _Po thought as he looked up. "Well I recall when I said you were so hardcore you don't feel anything; you were going to say something but the others came out. What were you going to say?"

It was Tigress' turn to be nervous and she let go of Po's hand. There was a dead silence for a while. Tigress finally looked into Po's eyes to say that she didn't want to say anything, but when she looked into them deeply, her confidence was gained back.

"I was going to say," she began in a stern, yet gentle tone, "I was young when I considered a monster back at the orphanage. No one gave me a chance because I was so strong until Shifu came, but you probably knew all that. Now, I may be hardcore… but I sometimes feel things, more emotionally than physically. I may not show it, but I do feel things inside."

Po was melting on the inside and had the same look on his face that he did when Master Oogway first had a real conversation with him at the Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you feel on the inside?" he asked.

Tigress became nervous once again. She had no idea how to tell anyone about herself on the inside nor had she ever done it. But Po was her closest friend and she felt safe around him.

"You don't have to tell me. I was just wondering." Po said.

"No, I want to." Tigress said. She took a deep breath and began. "I know that I feel care on the inside for the five, Shifu, you and I also feel anger. I have felt anger before but…" Tigress felt a tear rolling down her cheek. Po gently wiped the tear from her face and she let him do it. Finally, she broke down.

"I felt so awful when I thought you were dead. I felt like I had failed to defeat Shen, I failed the five, Shifu and most of all, I felt I had failed you. My heart was ripped out of my chest when I saw you get blasted by Shen's cannon. It hurt so much!" she said in between tears. She then stood up and slammed her fist on the table, nearly breaking it in half. Thankfully there was no one left in the restaurant due to everyone being in the town square, so she didn't cause any notice.

Po couldn't bear to watch Tigress like this so he stood up and immediately hugged her. Tigress was shocked but immediately hugged him back while still crying. Po occasionally said things to calm her down like, "Ssh." or, "It's alright."

"Po can I tell you one more thing?" Tigress asked when she finally calmed down enough.

Po smiled and broke the hug, but not fully so his arms were still around her waist and hers were around his shoulders. "Anything." he replied.

Tigress was quiet for a moment but when she finally gained enough courage, she said what was on her mind. "I know you probably won't believe me due to all I said to you in the beginning when you first came to the Jade Palace"-

Po interrupted her. "Hey, that stuff is all in the past. I don't care about that now." he said.

Tigress smiled but then it disappeared. She took a deep breath and said, "Po… I… I love you."

For a moment, Po's eyes grew wide, not because of the fact that he didn't know how to reply, but because he had always hoped for this and he couldn't believe it was happening. But eventually he smiled and said, "Tigress, I've always loved you."

Tigress smiled and hugged Po once again which Po returned at the exact same time. For a while they stayed like that enjoying each other's love and care. Finally they returned to their previous position and shared a passionate kiss. When they finally broke the kiss, they shared a hug once again. On the outside they were silent but on the inside they both knew what they were feeling for each other was true.

On the outside of the restaurant, the other four stood in watch. Monkey was doing a silent, yet stupid victory dance, Crane had his wings crossed and his head down, Mantis was silently laughing and Viper was just watching Po and Tigress feeling so happy for them.

Finally, Monkey finished his victory dance and held his hand out to Crane. "Pay up." he whispered.

"Shoot. This was my last bag." Crane replied but reluctantly handed Monkey a bag of almond cookies and continued to sulk while Monkey continued to dance. Mantis was still laughing until Viper smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ow! Geez, what was that for?" Mantis said angrily but quietly.

"Mantis, don't laugh at them, Crane it's just a bag of cookies and Monkey, stop with the victory dance. It's creepy."

Viper then turned around and continued to watch feeling happy for her friends, for they had found love.

The End


End file.
